BARRE — A Roxbury man told Vermont State Police he took two generators from a camp in September so he could jump start his vehicle, and was planning to give them back.

Francis R. Jones, 27, pleaded not guilty to felony burglary in Washington County criminal court in Barre Thursday. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $1,000 fine.

According to the state police affidavit, the owner of a camp on Cram Hill Road in Roxbury reported someone had broken the front door to his camp and stolen a generator from inside. Another generator on the outside of the camp was also missing. Both generators were valued at around $1,000.

Neighbors told state police they had seen two men walking on Cram Hill Road. Police were also told that one of the suspects had been known to live with Jones.

When the authorities subsequently arrived at the Jones residence, a trooper saw a generator that matched the description of one of the stolen generators. It was hanging out of the back of a GMC Jimmy that belongs to Jones and was sitting in the driveway.

The owner of the camp had found a piece to a vehicle’s bumper in the camp’s driveway, which the state police took as evidence, and the trooper said the bumper piece matched a piece missing from the GMC Jimmy.

State police seized the vehicle on suspicion that it contained stolen property. Jones soon after called the state police wanting to know why his vehicle was towed. The trooper on the case told Jones about the burglary investigation and state police say Jones then admitted to taking the generators.

According to state police, Jones said he was off-roading when his vehicle broke down. He said he ran out of gas and wore out the battery trying to get the vehicle free.

Jones told state police he and another man went looking for gas and a battery. They came upon the camp and Jones said he took the generators and a gas can. State police say Jones claimed he was going to return the generators. According to state police, Jones said if he intended to keep the generators he would have hidden them instead of leaving one in plain sight hanging out of his vehicle.

Jones turned over the second generator, was cited for burglary, and picked up his vehicle at the Middlesex state police barracks. State police said it had a flat tire and a dead battery.